View Full Version : Obama: Republicans Will Have to Learn to Get Along With Me
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/13/obama-republicans-learn/
President Obama reveals in a magazine article that he is weighing what to do if Republicans win the House majority next month, and has come up with a novel approach: Make the GOP work with him.
In a seeming twist on the post-1994 midterm calculation made by President Bill Clinton -- when Republicans pummeled Democrats in the congressional election -- Obama said he thinks Republicans will have to move in his direction no matter the outcome of the Nov. 2 vote.
"It may be that regardless of what happens after this election, they feel more responsible," he is quoted saying in the Sunday edition of The New York Times Magazine, "either because they didn't do as well as they anticipated, and so the strategy of just saying no to everything and sitting on the sidelines and throwing bombs didn't work for them, or they did reasonably well, in which case the American people are going to be looking to them to offer serious proposals and work with me in a serious way."
Accusing the public of mistaking his abilities, the president also told the magazine that he's a little taken aback that voters are disappointed with the current turn of events in his administration.
"The mythology has emerged somehow that we ran this flawless campaign, I never made a mistake, that we were master communicators, everything worked in lockstep," Obama is quoted saying. "That's not how I look at stuff, because I remember what the campaign was like. And it was just as messy and just as difficult. And there were all sorts of moments when our supporters lost hope, and it looked like we weren't going to win. And we're going through that same period here."
The inside-the-White-House account of trouble and turmoil in the administration comes 20 days before the midterm election and is sure to deflate Democrats reluctant to hear the president detailing mistakes from his first 20 months in office.
"It's pretty clear to me based on this interview that the president is saying, 'I've given up, You're on your own,'" said Democratic strategist Doug Schoen.
Among the regrets the president said he felt during the 111th Congress is letting Republicans make him out to be "the same old tax-and-spend liberal Democrat."
Obama said he also realized too late that "there is no such thing as shovel-ready projects," a familiar refrain made by the president when he was trying to sell the stimulus package.
"There are almost 100 shovel-ready transportation projects already approved," he said in August 2009. As recently as July of this year, he said, "Shovels will soon be moving earth and trucks will soon be pouring concrete."
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, who was present during the interview, said Wednesday that he does not think the president was making predictions about the coming election.
"There's no postmortems that are going on here ... People are focused on what we have to do each day," he said.
But Schoen said Democrats fighting for their political lives know they have to keep a distance.
"Right now what I'm hearing from Democrats is the president is only useful for fundraising," he said.
Another regret expressed by the president was his failure to communicate effectively. Obama said he and his team took "perverse pride" in focusing only on policy while ignoring the sales pitch to the public.
He said he realizes now that "you can't be neglecting of marketing and PR and public opinion."
But former Bush White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said the message isn't the problem.
"I think he's more out of touch than anybody ever thought if he believes the problems are from marketing and not substance. Cap and trade its not a communication problem it's a substance problem," Fleischer said.
In an interview with Bloomberg News, Vice President Biden is quoted saying Democrats are not running on health care, financial regulatory reform or the stimulus because "it's just too hard to explain" to voters.
The president's comments suggest he agrees, but a Democratic official said if it's a PR campaign Obama must sell, the magazine article isn't helping get the message out for his party's candidates.
A Media manufactured aura is a bitch when your selling snake oil :D
bandycpa
10-14-2010, 05:22
Contrast with just 22 months ago.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/01/23/obama-to-gop-i-won/
January 23, 2009, 2:32 PM ET
Obama to GOP: ‘I Won’
Jonathan Weisman reports on the White House.
The top congressional leaders from both parties gathered at the White House for a working discussion over the shape and size of President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan. The meeting was designed to promote bipartisanship.
But Obama showed that in an ideological debate, he’s not averse to using a jab.
Challenged by one Republican senator over the contents of the package, the new president, according to participants, replied: “I won.”
The statement was prompted by Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona , who challenged the president and the Democratic leaders over the balance between the package’s spending and tax cuts, bringing up the traditional Republican notion that a tax credit for people who do not earn enough to pay income taxes is not a tax cut but a government check.
Obama noted that such workers pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, property taxes and sales taxes. The issue was widely debated during the presidential campaign, when Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee, challenged Obama’s tax plan as “welfare.”
With those two words — “I won” — the Democratic president let the Republicans know that debate has been put to rest Nov. 4 .
Democratic and Republican aides confirmed the exchange. A White House spokesman said he wasn’t immediately aware of the exchange. The aides who heard the remarks stressed that it wasn’t as boldly partisan as it might sound.
Still, other Democrats echoed the sentiment. As he left the White House, House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina was asked about Republican complaints that Democrats aren’t listening to what their GOP colleagues have to say. “We’re responding to the American people,” he said. “The American people didn’t listen to them too well during the election.”
Dozer523
10-14-2010, 06:06
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/13/obama-republicans-learn/
A Media manufactured aura is a bitch when your selling snake oil :D That is a magnificent statement. I have no clue what it means but it sure sound(bites) effectively. And the use of highlighting color does the same. If your choice of words is delusive then your use of highlighting color is a sleight of hands.
Let me try:
"The mythology has emerged somehow that we ran this flawless campaign, I never made a mistake, that we were master communicators, everything worked in lockstep," Obama is quoted saying. "That's not how I look at stuff, because I remember what the campaign was like. And it was just as messy and just as difficult. And there were all sorts of moments when our supporters lost hope, and it looked like we weren't going to win. And we're going through that same period here."
Another regret expressed by the president was his failure to communicate effectively. Obama said he and his team took "perverse pride" in focusing only on policy while ignoring the sales pitch to the public.
The arrogance.
IMO this is the part that is instructive from the article:
"It may be that regardless of what happens after this election, they feel more responsible," he is quoted saying in the Sunday edition of The New York Times Magazine, "either because they didn't do as well as they anticipated, and so the strategy of just saying no to everything and sitting on the sidelines and throwing bombs didn't work for them,
or they did reasonably well, in which case the American people are going to be looking to them to offer serious proposals and work with me in a serious way."
I so remember the 20001-2004 period when the Democrats were not even invited to the table. And we got magnificent pieces of legislation like the PATRIOT Act. I've often wondered why Obama and the Democratic leadership didn't do the same thing with the 2000 majority. It may have been accepting the fact that elections are not coups d'etat.
We will see how well the Republican Grizzley Bear strategy works. I personally hope the pendulum's amplitude is greatly reduced. I'm up for government that is a little LESS extreme.
.....]the American people are going to be looking to them to offer serious proposals and work with me in a serious way......
Ahhh, if you make a seious proposal and the MSM does not report it - did you make it?
The Republicans did offer serious proposals - and ammendments to the passed bills. But they were not reported by the MSM and the D's did not consider them.
The MSM full court press is going to hit the Republicans in January. Nothing they do will be good enough. Everything must be bipartisan - in other words do what the D's want.
Just wait. It's coming.
A Media manufactured aura is a bitch when your selling snake oil
The “Old Media” has given us more information on Alvin Greene in four months than they have about Obama over the past three plus years ...
Let me try:
"The mythology has emerged somehow that we ran this flawless campaign, I never made a mistake, that we were master communicators, everything worked in lockstep," Obama is quoted saying. "That's not how I look at stuff, because I remember what the campaign was like. And it was just as messy and just as difficult. And there were all sorts of moments when our supporters lost hope, and it looked like we weren't going to win. And we're going through that same period here."
Another regret expressed by the president was his failure to communicate effectively. Obama said he and his team took "perverse pride" in focusing only on policy while ignoring the sales pitch to the public.
Ah yes, you can spin it several ways, which is the sales pitch to the public. And too a large degree is the major problem with our politicians aka Snake Oil Salesmen and their crowd warmers in the Media.
Personally I would prefer a Joe Friday 'All we want are the facts' type instead of the Billy Mays types that sell Miracle Putty gimmicks which rarely live up to expectations.
We will see how well the Republican Grizzley Bear strategy works. I personally hope the pendulum's amplitude is greatly reduced. I'm up for government that is a little LESS extreme.
We agree :eek: and I am not holding my breath on that possibility.
Originally Posted by Dozer523:
I so remember the 20001-2004 period when the Democrats were not even invited to the table. And we got magnificent pieces of legislation like the PATRIOT Act.
Are we talking about the same act that was originally supported by a majority of both parties and was as recently as February 2010, extended by the Democratic controlled congress? How was this forced upon the democrats?
Originally Posted by Dozer523:
We will see how well the Republican Grizzley Bear strategy works. I personally hope the pendulum's amplitude is greatly reduced. I'm up for government that is a little LESS extreme.
Now that the dems have passed a mountain of socialistic legislation, you want everyone to play nice? If you are gun shy when it comes to extreme politics, the last two years must have been hell.
Now that the dems have passed a mountain of socialistic legislation, you want everyone to play nice? If you are gun shy when it comes to extreme politics, the last two years must have been hell.
You are on the money IMO on the extreme Socialist Legislation.....it brings fire to my eyes to put it mildly!
However.....Not to put words in Dozers mouth, but what I believe he meant was we seems to be treading into the more extreme politics proceeding each and every election......and he is in hopes someone will step up so we can reach a less extreme middle ground.
You are on the money IMO on the extreme Socialist Legislation.....it brings fire to my eyes to put it mildly!
However.....Not to put words in Dozers mouth, but what I believe he meant was we seems to be treading into the more extreme politics proceeding each and every election......and he is in hopes someone will step up so we can reach a less extreme middle ground.
Just what is middle ground?
What you think is a bad bill does not get better just because you could slip some pork in for your district.
Finding "Middle Ground" on bad bills is a slow march to the left.
The Reaper
10-14-2010, 09:47
Just what is middle ground?
What you think is a bad bill does not get better just because you could slip some pork in for your district.
Finding "Middle Ground" on bad bills is a slow march to the left.
Concur.
Death by 1,000 cuts.
TR
I don't see how it is possible for us to avoid extreme politics when the core beliefs of many or so widely different. There are a preponderance of citizens who believe and expect government can solve their problems. They expect the government to create jobs and shield us from all natural disasters, etc. Where the core beliefs are so extremely divergent, how can there be common ground?
It seems the only way we can find common ground is in finding a common enemy.
Conservative America is waking up and it scares the crap out of the liberals. Obama's self centered ego can't understand or take the criticism. He really does not understand what is going on.
In the broader view, I don't think I have seen a nastier mid term cycle! Some of the ads are going past the mud and slinging the crap thats underneath. In NC, Bob Etheridge runs an ad that claims his opponent wants a 23% sales tax on everything from food to medicine. This is partly true, but what he fails to mention is the fact that she also wants to abolish the NC income tax, making the sales tax the de facto revenue builder for NC, much like Texas and a few other states.
In NC, Bob Etheridge runs an ad that claims his opponent wants a 23% sales tax on everything from food to medicine. This is partly true, but what he fails to mention is the fact that she also wants to abolish the NC income tax, making the sales tax the de facto revenue builder for NC, much like Texas and a few other states.
Maybe...but 23% is a BIG leap from the 6.25-8.25% local sales and use taxes we pay here in Texas.
Richard :munchin
Maybe...but 23% is a BIG leap from the 6.25-8.25% local sales and use taxes we pay here in Texas.
Richard :munchin
True, but it still makes a big difference when you leave out the part about getting rid of the annual income tax.
..... This is partly true, but what he fails to mention is the fact that she also wants to abolish the NC income tax, making the sales tax the de facto revenue builder for NC, much like Texas and a few other states.
Not true. The "23% tax" ref. is for the National Fair Tax. "Who Are You" Bob is having his folk running a push pole in the area. I got called - and called the caller on it.
The 23% tax is true but it comes with cutting all the imbedded taxes.
Want to see a liberal on a rant about the fair tax eye's glaze over? Ask them to explain the difference between inclusive and exclusive tax rates. Libs like to blend the two in order to scare the depends off the AARP crowd.
Just what is middle ground?
What you think is a bad bill does not get better just because you could slip some pork in for your district.
Finding "Middle Ground" on bad bills is a slow march to the left.
Don't get me wrong, I see it in the same light as you. Personally speaking I think we need to make a complete U-Turn and head due North. The question is how far back do we need to drive.
Maybe...but 23% is a BIG leap from the 6.25-8.25% local sales and use taxes we pay here in Texas.
Richard :munchin
If you include property taxes the effective tax rate could easily approach 23% for some homeowners.
ZonieDiver
10-14-2010, 11:13
Maybe we all need to be reminded of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sONfxPCTU0
:D
mark46th
10-14-2010, 12:29
Are they saying the 23% tax is going to be like a flat tax? No other taxes collected?
Are they saying the 23% tax is going to be like a flat tax? No other taxes collected?
It is interesting that the Flat Tax vs Fair Tax debate has been raging for over three years but some have never heard of it yet - And what they've heard has been distorted by the MSM and Libs.
The power to Tax is the power to punish - and the power to reward friends.
That 23% tax rate quote is what the libs love to scare folks with.
$100 minus $23 plus $23 equals $100 - not $123.
There are plenty of web sites on the Fair Tax. The Fair Tax only deals with Federal Taxes. It does not deal with state and local taxes.
Not true. The "23% tax" ref. is for the National Fair Tax. "Who Are You" Bob is having his folk running a push pole in the area. I got called - and called the caller on it.
The 23% tax is true but it comes with cutting all the imbedded taxes.
Want to see a liberal on a rant about the fair tax eye's glaze over? Ask them to explain the difference between inclusive and exclusive tax rates. Libs like to blend the two in order to scare the depends off the AARP crowd.
Ok, I misunderstood the ad myself then.
I have to agree that we are going to extremes on both sides. It seems to me that this "let's get even because they did it to us when they were in power" crap works for both sides.
One side wins, shuts the other out, and then labels the losers "the party of no". Well if I was on the "loosing side" and given no opportunity to provide input into bills, I would become the party of no as well, regardless of what my party affiliation is.
I hope to God the Repubilcans remember when they win (and they will win) that they CANNOT become what them Dems have become, because if they do, two years from now Obama will get re-elected. Everything wrong will become their fault.
I agree there are some bills that need to be reversed, Obamacare being the main one., and the Republicans should work to that end. But that does not mean shutting the dems out of the legislative process. We saw how well that has worked for the past 6 years. The middle road needs to be sought, when possible, if we ever hope of getting ourselves out of this hole we find ourselves in.
If the Republicans shut the Democrats out, all they are doing is giving Obama fodder to use against them. I can see it now; "The republicans have been in power for two years now, and what have they done? Unemployment is stil up, yada yada yada. If they can't turn things around, why in heck would you, the American People want to elect another Republican into the white house?" He of cuorse will forget to mention that it is the Democrats complete and utter failure that helped us get so far into the hole. The Republicans need to remember they were holding a shovel at one point in time as well and are not blameless in this whole fiasco.
Republicans need to understand immediate gratification is not what is needed at this point in time, getting Obama out of the White House in 2 years is.
It is going to take time to make things better. We have all seen what happens when a single party controlls both chambers of Congress, as well as the White House. It didn't turn out too well for the Republicans, just as it won't turn out well for the Democrats. In my opinion, the country runs better when power is Shared between the parties, rather than owned by one party.
Short term goals is not enough this time. Kicking the dems while they are down will only hurt us. Long term goals of getting the Presidency, and retaining one chamber of Congress is what is needed.
If I became the speaker in this election cycle, the first thing I would do is ban the use of earmarks. If a bill can not stand on its merits alone, then it does not need to become law. Let's see how many bullshit earmarks that no one ever knows about, make it into law then.
I have to agree that we are going to extremes on both sides. It seems to me that this "let's get even because they did it to us when they were in power" crap works for both sides..............
Wrong - where is the middle ground between "no more spending increases" and "tons more spending increases"?
"Just a bunch more spending increases"?
The R's - if they gain control - will try and get a handle on spending but will be painted by the MSM as a bunch of Grinch's out to steal Christmas.
The R's might - if they grow a backbone - try and get rid of some of the federal departments, employees and programs that were brought on board in the last two years but will be painted by the MSM as a bunch of Grumpy old folks trying to steal the Candy from kids.
Lead story on MSM central news service come February - "Look at Mary. Mary used to have a job, a car and a home. She was a happy government clerk earning a good living shuffling paperwork from desk to trashcan. Then the EVIL REPUBLICANS came and took her life away. They stopped funding her job. Now Mary is in danger of being foreclosed on, her car repo-ed, out on the street with no where to go. Is there nothing to stop the Republicans from doing this to thousands more just like her?" The talking head gives a slight frown and negative shake of the head.
The MSM thinks bipartisanship means the R's do what the D's want.
Not everyone can work for local, state or federal government or be on welfare. Some folks have to be out in the public sector creating the Dollars everyone else is sucking down.
Wrong - where is the middle ground between "no more spending increases" and "tons more spending increases"?
"Just a bunch more spending increases"?
The R's - if they gain control - will try and get a handle on spending but will be painted by the MSM as a bunch of Grinch's out to steal Christmas.
The R's might - if they grow a backbone - try and get rid of some of the federal departments, employees and programs that were brought on board in the last two years but will be painted by the MSM as a bunch of Grumpy old folks trying to steal the Candy from kids.
Lead story on MSM central news service come February - "Look at Mary. Mary used to have a job, a car and a home. She was a happy government clerk earning a good living shuffling paperwork from desk to trashcan. Then the EVIL REPUBLICANS came and took her life away. They stopped funding her job. Now Mary is in danger of being foreclosed on, her car repo-ed, out on the street with no where to go. Is there nothing to stop the Republicans from doing this to thousands more just like her?" The talking head gives a slight frown and negative shake of the head.
The MSM thinks bipartisanship means the R's do what the D's want.
Not everyone can work for local, state or federal government or be on welfare. Some folks have to be out in the public sector creating the Dollars everyone else is sucking down.
I agree with you that spending needs to be cut, but the Republicans have yet to convince me they are willing to do anything about it. Talk is cheap as my mom would say, and actions speak louder than words, especially at election time.
As far as I am concerned, when the republican last help power they were no better than the Democrats as far as spending. They were like kids in a candy store, and it took them getting their asses handed to them in the past few election cycles to get the message from the American electorate that we aren't going to tolerate it anymore.
It is really easy, in this time and place, to say that you are for cutting spending. Everyone is for cutting spending when those sound bites help you get elected, but once they have access to the money it is easy to spend like a sailor on shore leaves with booze and whores. Some of the main "pork barrell" folks on the hill are Republicans.
Until I can see some very real, tangible ways they are cutting spending, instead of just talking out their pie holes, I will hold them in the same regard as I do the Democrats, and that is to say, no regard at all.
Maybe this new brand of Republican can get us back on the rails, but I am not willing to hand them the keys to the city until they do more than just talk!
Until I can see some very real, tangible ways they are cutting spending, instead of just talking out their pie holes, I will hold them in the same regard as I do the Democrats, and that is to say, no regard at all.
Maybe this new brand of Republican can get us back on the rails, but I am not willing to hand them the keys to the city until they do more than just talk!
I'm not sure how the party that is in the minority position can do anything tangible until they are back in the majority. Your request for something tangible seems to be a somewhat unreasonable. You will hold them and the Democrats to no regard. I guess the point of this escapes me.
I believe the media noise we hear in our daily life is so loud and constant that the truth gets camouflaged. For instance, in today's issue of the local paper there's an item talking about how the government has made money on TARP or the bank bailout. One of the questions addressed is how can the democrats turn these gains into political capital? In analyzing TARP, I believe it was initiated under Bush with a Democratic controlled congress and senate. It appears to me that the TARP legislation was a bipartisan effort. However, now it's being spun as a Democrat win.
Obama was a complete critic of the surge in Iraq. Now Biden tells the Nation that victory in Iraq is one of Obama's best success stories.
The mortgage debacle can be traced to the problems with Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac and the legislation prompting banks and lenders providing mortgages without the following long time industry accepted standards for loans. This move to loosen the lending standards started under the Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton administrations. However, popular sentiment is that the Republicans stuck us with this terrible economy.
I'm not saying you have accepted the myths of modern America, but before you hold both parties in contempt, make sure you are accurate in your criticism.
Politics and politicians - a system in which those holding power, no matter how they label themselves, will say or do anything necessary to remain in power and those out of power will do or say anything to regain power.
Meh....
Richard's $.02 :munchin
I'm not sure how the party that is in the minority position can do anything tangible until they are back in the majority. Your request for something tangible seems to be a somewhat unreasonable. You will hold them and the Democrats to no regard. I guess the point of this escapes me.
I believe the media noise we hear in our daily life is so loud and constant that the truth gets camouflaged. For instance, in today's issue of the local paper there's an item talking about how the government has made money on TARP or the bank bailout. One of the questions addressed is how can the democrats turn these gains into political capital? In analyzing TARP, I believe it was initiated under Bush with a Democratic controlled congress and senate. It appears to me that the TARP legislation was a bipartisan effort. However, now it's being spun as a Democrat win.
Obama was a complete critic of the surge in Iraq. Now Biden tells the Nation that victory in Iraq is one of Obama's best success stories.
The mortgage debacle can be traced to the problems with Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac and the legislation prompting banks and lenders providing mortgages without the following long time industry accepted standards for loans. This move to loosen the lending standards started under the Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton administrations. However, popular sentiment is that the Republicans stuck us with this terrible economy.
I'm not saying you have accepted the myths of modern America, but before you hold both parties in contempt, make sure you are accurate in your criticism.
I think I am more accurate than most in my critisism. Do you care to look back to last time the Republicans were in power in both the house and the senate. I still stand by my previous statement, they spent money like they had it. they forgot that they were the party of smaller government and lower spending.
I, unlike a lot of folks, have spent quite a bit of time on Capitol Hill, and I wasn't just there for the walking tour. I got to see quite a few of the backroom deals, and it didn't matter if the senator/congressman/committee member was a dem or a republican. Things get done, because money is promised. Plain and simple.
You are right it is hard to weild much power as the minority, but my question is, what are republicans going to do when they are in power? Past experience shows that they really aren't much different than the dems. They place earmarks in bills that are completely rediculous, but brings money home to their constituents. They vote themselves raises when the rest of us are struggling. They get caught participating in fraud, does the name Ambranhoff ring any bells?
If they go in there and state things such as earmarks will no longer be attached to bills, that they will cut the budget with tangible results, such as taking on the sacred programs such as Social Security and Medicare, that they are willing to do what is right, even if means they may get voted out in the next election, thus proving they are not career politicians, then I will begin to cut them some slack.
I have a tendancy to hold both parties in contempt because oftentimes I think they are the same wolves in sheep clothing. One calls themselves wolf and the other coyote.
I am willing to give them a chance, becacuse we have sunk so low that I can't see how we can go too much lower, but that doesn't mean I trust them farther than I can throw them.
I think I am more accurate than most in my critisism. Do you care to look back to last time the Republicans were in power in both the house and the senate. I still stand by my previous statement, they spent money like they had it. they forgot that they were the party of smaller government and lower spending.
I, unlike a lot of folks, have spent quite a bit of time on Capitol Hill, and I wasn't just there for the walking tour. I got to see quite a few of the backroom deals, and it didn't matter if the senator/congressman/committee member was a dem or a republican. Things get done, because money is promised. Plain and simple.
You are right it is hard to weild much power as the minority, but my question is, what are republicans going to do when they are in power? Past experience shows that they really aren't much different than the dems. They place earmarks in bills that are completely rediculous, but brings money home to their constituents. They vote themselves raises when the rest of us are struggling. They get caught participating in fraud, does the name Ambranhoff ring any bells?
If they go in there and state things such as earmarks will no longer be attached to bills, that they will cut the budget with tangible results, such as taking on the sacred programs such as Social Security and Medicare, that they are willing to do what is right, even if means they may get voted out in the next election, thus proving they are not career politicians, then I will begin to cut them some slack.
I have a tendancy to hold both parties in contempt because oftentimes I think they are the same wolves in sheep clothing. One calls themselves wolf and the other coyote.
I am willing to give them a chance, becacuse we have sunk so low that I can't see how we can go too much lower, but that doesn't mean I trust them farther than I can throw them.
I see your point. It may be easier for us all if there was something like contract for America. I remember when the new republicans who came in when Clinton was president. They took a hard line on spending and did some good. Hopefully, if this happens in November, the new elected representatives will make a similar commitment.